JAMES MCAVOY

'James Andrew McAvoy' (April 21, 1979^[1]) is a BAFTA-winning Scottish actor.

Contents

Biography

Personal life

Career

Theatre work

Selected Filmography

References

External links

Biography

Personal life

McAvoy was born in Scotstoun, Glasgow, the son of Elizabeth (née Johnstone), a psychiatric nurse, and James McAvoy, a builder.^[2][3] His sister, Joy McAvoy, is a singer.^[4] McAvoy's parents divorced when he was seven, and he subsequently lived with his maternal grandparents, Mary and James Johnstone. He attended St. Thomas Aquinas Secondary in Jordanhill, Glasgow, a Catholic school, and considered becoming a priest.^[5][6] McAvoy graduated from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in 2000. He once lived in a London houseshare with Jesse Spencer. He is married to his ''Shameless'' co-star, Anne-Marie Duff. In his spare time, McAvoy enjoys sci fi, and is a fan of Celtic Football Club.

Career

McAvoy's first roles were in David Hayman's ''The Near Room'' in 1995 and then as Anthony Balfour in Pat Barker's ''Regeneration'' in 1997. McAvoy got his first big international break playing the role of Leto Atreides II in the Sci Fi Channel miniseries ''Children of Dune'' (adapted from Frank Herbert’s novels) which aired in 2003. In 2004 he starred as Steve McBride in another Abbott-written drama series, ''Shameless'' on Channel 4, for which he was nominated for the British Comedy Award for Best TV Newcomer. In 2005, he played Ben in the Royal Court Theatre's production ''Breathing Corpses'',as well as the role of Mr. Tumnus, the Faun in Disney and Walden Media's ''. He also starred in ''Wimbledon'' as Carl Colt and as Macbeth in Shakespeare Retold.
In 2006, he starred alongside Forest Whitaker in an adaptation of Giles Foden’s novel ''The Last King of Scotland'' based on the (factual) events of the brutal Ugandan dictator Idi Amin’s regime as seen by his (fictional) personal physician during the 1970s. He took the lead, Brian Jackson, in ''Starter for Ten'' (the adaptation of the David Nicholls novel of the same name). McAvoy won the new Mary Selway/Orange Rising Star Award at the 2006 BAFTA Awards.
McAvoy has roles in two films for 2007 - ''Becoming Jane'' and ''Atonement''. He recently finished work on the film adaptation of ''Wanted''. He is rumoured to be appearing in the movie ''Frost Flowers'', Channel 4 mini series ''The Devil's Whore''.^[7] In 2008 he will work on the movie ''Three Way Split'' for directors Neil Hunter and Tom Hunsinger.^[8] Although it has been reported that he will be playing the role of Montgomery Scott in the new movie version of ''Star Trek'',^[9] this has been repeatedly denied by McAvoy and his publicist.^[10]

Theatre work

★ ''The Tempest'', Brunton Theatre - Ferdinand

★ ''Romeo and Juliet'', The Courtyard Hereford (1999) - Romeo

★ ''West Side Story'', The Courtyard Hereford (1999) - Riff

★ ''Beauty and the Beast'', Adam Smith Theatre (1999-2000, pantomime) - Bobby

★ ''Romeo and Juliet'' (2000) - Romeo

★ ''The Reel of the Hanged Man'', Traverse Theatre (2000) - Gerald

★ ''Lovers'', Royal Lyceum Theatre - Joe

★ ''Out In The Open'', Hampstead Theatre (2001) - Iggy

★ ''Privates On Parade'', Donmar Warehouse (2001-2002) - Pt Steven Flowers

★ ''Breathing Corpses'', Royal Court Theatre (2005) - Ben

Selected Filmography

★ ''Band of Brothers'' (2001, TV miniseries) as James W. Miller

★ ''White Teeth'' (2002, TV movie) - Josh

★ ''Children of Dune'' (2003, TV miniseries) - Leto Atreides II

★ ''Bright Young Things'' (2003) - Simon Balcairn

★ ''State of Play'' (2003, TV) - Dan Foster

★ ''Early Doors'' (2004, TV) - Liam

★ ''Bollywood Queen'' (2004) - Jay

★ ''Wimbledon'' (2004) - Carl Colt

★ ''Inside I'm Dancing'' aka ''Rory O'Shea Was Here'' (2004) - Rory O'Shea

★ ''Shameless'' (2004-2005, TV) - Steve McBride

★ ''Macbeth'' (2005, TV movie) - Joe Macbeth

★ '' (2005) - Mr. Tumnus, the Faun

★ ''The Last King of Scotland'' (2006) - Dr Nicholas Garrigan

★ ''Starter for Ten'' (2006) - Brian Jackson

★ ''Becoming Jane'' (2007) - Tom Lefroy

★ ''Penelope'' (2007) - Max

★ ''Atonement'' (2007) - Robbie Turner

★ ''Wanted'' (2008) - Wesley Gibson

References

1. News
2. http://www.jamesmcavoy.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=97
3. http://www.tiscali.co.uk/entertainment/film/biographies/james_mcavoy_biog.html
4. http://www.filmreference.com/film/98/James-McAvoy.html
5. A young actor creating a buzz
6. Trying to be good
7. Channel 4 sexes up the Puritans Chris Hastings
8. A London love story Nick Curtis
9. http://news.scotsman.com/entertainment.cfm?id=1317522007
10. http://trekmovie.com/2007/08/20/mcavoy-as-scotty-again/

External links

★

★

★ Future Movies Interview on The Last King of Scotland

★ Resume - At PFD

★ James McAvoy visits Uganda